Container Ship Collides with Bridge 🌉🚢

On March 26, 2024, a container ship named Dali lost power and crashed into a pillar of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing parts of it to collapse into the Patapsco River below. Tragically, this incident appears to have resulted in the loss of life, with six construction workers reported killed.

Impact Video

Last night the container ship MV Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in 🇺🇸Baltimore causing a complete collapse of the bridge and a 'mass casualty incident'. More than a dozen vehicles and many Individuals said to be in water.

Rescue work is ongoing.… pic.twitter.com/bayp8KOBPt

— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) March 26, 2024

About the Ship

• The container ship involved was named DALI and was 948 feet in length.
  • When empty, it weighs 95,000 tons.
  • Its capacity allows it to carry approximately 10,000 20-foot (6-meter) containers.
• The ship was chartered by Danish shipping company Maersk and was carrying their customers’ cargo at the time of the collision.
• Since 2015, Dali has been inspected 27 times by Port State Control (PSC) Officers from different countries and ports worldwide. The last inspection was conducted by the United Coast Guard on September 19, 2023, while the ship was docked in New York.
• Shortly after departing at 1am the crew sent a mayday call, reporting that they had lost power and control of the steering system.
  • The Dali rammed into one of the bridge’s columns, leading to the collapse of the entire structure.
  • The ship was moving at about 8 knots (9 mph) at the time of impact.

About the Bridge

• The Francis Scott Key Bridge was a steel arch-shaped continuous truss bridge.
  • Was the second-longest continuous-truss bridge span in the United States and third in the world.
• It opened in 1977 and connected Hawkins Point, Baltimore to Sollers Point in Dundalk.
  • The bridge was a vital shipping route, granting access to the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest in the United States.
• The port handled substantial cargo, including foreign shipments valued at $80 billion in 2023.
  • It also employed 15,000 people and indirectly supported 140,000 others.

Impact on Baltimore

• Much of the Port of Baltimore remains closed to shipping due to the collapse.
• Maryland Governor Wes Moore described the event as a “global crisis” and stated that over 8,000 jobs were affected.
• Experts estimate that the closure of the waterway is causing daily losses of $15 million.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety and vigilance in maritime operations and infrastructure maintenance. Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families during this difficult time. 🙏